Weeder.



i TE S'l WEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Original application filed-January 12, 1910, Serial No. 537,719. Dividedand this application filed October 3,

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, G-UsTAv THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lind, in the county of Adams and State of llashington, haveinvented a new and useful VVeeder, of which the following is aspecilication.

This invention has relation to weeders and consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of its parts hereinafter shown anddescribed.

The object of the invention is to provide a strong, simple, durable andthoroughly efficient machine for removing weeds and for performing othercultivating operations.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of theweeder. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the weeder.Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The machine consists of a. running gear and wheels and a frame supportedupon the said running gear. Means are provided for raising or loweringthe frame upon the running gear. Suitably connected with the frame is aground engaging element or cutter. By raising or lowering the main frameon the running gear, it will be apparent that the ground engagingelement is caused to project a greater or less distance into the soil oris raised completely7 out of contact therewith.

The reference numeral 1' indicates one of the wheels or running gear.These wheels are provided with the usual hubs 2 from which project stubshafts or axles 3. Each axle 3 is supported in a block 4 of any desiredshape or size.

The frame of the machine consists preferably of the side bars 5 whichare connected together by a cross piece 6 and a rear cross piece 9.Suitably connected with the front cross piece 6 of the frame are thetongue 10 and the tongue braces 11. Mounted on the tongue is the usualdouble tree 12. The rear cross piece 9 of the frame supports the stand15 of a drivers seat 16, said stand being received in a bracket 17suitably fastened on said cross piece 9. Bolted or otherwise suitablysecured to each side bar 5 of the frame is a stirrup iron or hanger 20which is approximately U-shaped, as shown, the bolts for securing saidstirrup iron to the side pieces 5 being indicated by the numeral 21. Thelower or closed portion of Serial No. 585,077.

each stirrup iron extends some distance below the side piece 5 and theupper ends of each stirrup iron extend some distance above the said sidepiece 5. Extending transversely across the machine and supported on theupper ends of the stirrup irons 20 is an upper frame piece or plank 22.

The ground engaging element or cutter, which is supported by the abovedescribed frame, will now be briefly taken up. This cutter includes anon-circular shaft 30 the ends of which are suitably rounded and t intobearings or boxes 31 bolted or otherwise fixed on the stirrup irons 9.0as shown in Fig. 2. The stirrup irons 20 and the shaft 30 are made rigidby means of braces 32 which connect the lower ends of the stirrup irons20 with the forward ends of the side pieces 5 of the frame. Mounted uponthe intermediate portion of the shaft 30 are a plurality of hubs 33 inwhich are bolted or otherwise removably secured a plurality of radiallyextending cutter arms 34 carrying at their outer ends cutters 35 whichmay be of any desired form and character.

Means for raising and lowering the frame and ground engaging elementupon the wheels, for the purpose of causing the cutters to project agreater or less distance in the soil will now be described.

As shown in Fig. 3 the axle support or block 4 is provided with agrooved cavity which partially surrounds the outer portion of thestirrup iron 20 so as to permit said stirrup iron to slide in saidblock. A second guide member 7l is connected at its lower end to theupper frame piece, and at its lower end t-o the brace 32. A rod 73 isthreaded at its lower end into the block 4. The upper end of the rod 73is threaded and projects through a perforated ear 74 in a plate 7 5bolted or otherwise secured to the upper frame piece 22 at the endthereof. The rod 73 is provided above and below the ear 74 with nuts 76and 77 by adjusting which the frame of the machine is raised or loweredupon the wheels.

It will be noted that the machine may be readily dismantled for thepurpose of removing and replacing cutters and the making of changes andrepairs.

The subjectmatter of the present invention is divided from my earlierapplication for weeder, led in the Patent Oiiice January 12, 1910,Serial No. 537,719.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is A Weeder comprising a main frame7 asupplemental frame located above the main frame, a stirrup iron attachedat its ends to the supplemental frame and receiving a side bar of themain frame between its sides, a grolnld-engaging member attached to thestirrup iron, a guide fixed to the supplemental frame and extendingparallel with the stirrup iron, a brace attached to the lower ends ofthe stirrup iron and guide and also connected with the main frame, ablock slidably mounted between the stirrup iron and guide, means forholding said block in an adjusted position with relation to thesupplemental frame, a stub shaft fixed to said block and a wheeljournaled upon said shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atlixedmy signature in the presence of tWo witnesses.

n GUSTAV THOMAS. Vitnesses O. C. STEEN, E. T. COPP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

